Parental control on the web

Ensuring that you and your family stay protected involves
more than just installing an anti-virus solution, as you have to
look at a more comprehensive internet security program that integrates some
parental control functionality.

Parental control allows users to prevent access to undesirable websites as well as certain apps like chatting software and can also be employed to limit web browsing time (and in some cases gaming time too) done on the home PC.

Internet security solutions and certain web-based services will allow you to control the access that the users in the network have, as well as providing you with reports on the activity of users. The use of the net can be managed, including when and for how long it can be accessed, which websites must be blocked and even the contacts that can be messaged on instant messaging programs (such as Google Talk) as well as social networking sites (such as Facebook and Twitter).

Online services also have a couple of additional benefits such as web-based apps that monitor your children’s online activities, uploads that info onto your family account and then also sends alerts to you when any suspicious activity has taken place.

Security Question

Is internet security really necessary, when you already have an anti-virus package installed? I have heard many people saying it only slows down your computer and that it does not help to secure your computer further – Cobus

If you have no internet access or only receive emails through an ISP then anti-virus should suffice, but if you browse the net, protection considerations change. Not only are you facing possible malicious downloads and sites but also hackers, for which the extra security features, such as firewalls, is necessary.

For this question Cobus receives BitDefender Internet Security 2010.